Tony Mowbray has encouraging update as Sunderland midfielder steps up injury comeback

Jay Matete has taken a significant step towards a Sunderland setback after returning to light training at the Academy of Light this week.

Matete was enjoying a promising pre-season campaign following a successful loan at Plymouth Argyle last season, but suffered what proved to be a significant knee injury on the club's tour of the USA.

The 22-year-old had expected to be absent until around the festive period after undergoing surgery, and Sunderland head coach Tony Mowbray confirmed on Thursday that he believes the midfielder is broadly on schedule.

Matete will step up his comeback next month.

Mowbray said: "Jay has had his boots on this week, very nice new boots as well!

"He's been on the grass, running round some poles and jumping over some poles. That suggests to me that he is getting closer.

"So yeah, I would suggest that sometime in November he could be back with us."

Sunderland are also weighing up whether to extend young defender Zak Johnson's loan at National League side Hartlepool United.

Johnson joined on an initial month-long loan earlier this season and has made four appearances for the club since.

The decision won't be made by Mowbray, but the head coach says the experience will be invaluable for a youngster who he believes has a genuine chance of breaking into the first-team fold somewhere down the line.

"That's not something I'd be involved in, I did go and watch him the other week," Mowbray said.

"He needs to play senior football, I think it's good for really young players. Zak is a really talented boy but it's totally different playing senior football where the result really matters. It's not easy at that level and some of our players, Pierre Ekwah is a classic example of someone who came to us having never played senior football before. There is an acclimatisation period and it can only be a positive for Zak to get any kind of game time. I think he's got a real chance of being a Sunderland player in future."